Asteroid the size of 18 platypus to fly closer to Earth than Moon - NASA

Chris

Administrator
Staff member
Asteroid the size of 18 platypus to fly closer to Earth than Moon - NASA
Asteroid 2023 FH7's diameter is the size of 18 male platypus lined up bill-to-tail. It is merely one of six passing the Earth on March 30, each of which is listed here with their own comparisons.
By AARON REICH

An asteroid the size of 18 platypus is set to pass much closer to the Earth than the Moon on Thursday, March 30, according to NASA's asteroid tracker. The asteroid in question has been designated as 2023 FH7 and was discovered this year, according to the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The asteroid is actually one of six that are set to pass by the Earth on March 30, but it is set to come the closest out of all of them by a wide margin. For the scientific nitpickers wondering in advance, this measurement is calculated by comparing the total length of an adult male platypus from beak to tail to the asteroid's estimated diameter.

more.............. https://www.jpost.com/science/article-735881
 

Chris

Administrator
Staff member
I've noticed that NASA has been using several "creative" descriptions of how large recent asteroids were in what appears to me to be a new way to drum up interest in these events. I wonder what is behind this? Mentioning a "platypus in the same sentence with asteroids is bound to make people to a double take. :lol
 

Wally

Choose Your Words Carefully...
For the US it may be better understood iwth more familiar metaphors,

An asteroid the size of 1/10000000 the us deficit measured in toilet paper will ALMOST hit the earth. :thinking Ok that doesn't do it....


An asteroid with the mass of 2153 laptops will pass by within smelling range of New Jersey... :panic
 

Baby Yoda

Watchman
I've noticed that NASA has been using several "creative" descriptions of how large recent asteroids were in what appears to me to be a new way to drum up interest in these events. I wonder what is behind this? Mentioning a "platypus in the same sentence with asteroids is bound to make people to a double take. :lol

I thought "18 Platypus" was a code name for something and I just hadn't been paying attention. :biggrin
 

pixelpusher

Well-Known Member

Astronomers launch new asteroid-classification system based on animal sizes​

A new system for classifying the sizes of small planetary objects using animals has been launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in a bid to clear up misconceptions introduced after an asteroid was reported to be “half the size of a giraffe”. Senior officials at the Paris-based agency unveiled the plan in response to claims that the giraffe comparisons were undermining serious astronomical research. ESA hopes its new system will bring “much-needed clarity” to asteroid and meteoroid sizes, which will now officially stretch from “blue whale” to “tardigrade”.

https://physicsworld.com/a/astronom...-classification-system-based-on-animal-sizes/
 

Chris

Administrator
Staff member
Just in time for PASSOVER!!!!!!!!! :doh :doh :doh

Asteroid the size of 787 matzahs set to pass over Earth on Passover - NASA
Asteroid 2023 FM is a large asteroid that, at a minimum estimate, comes out to 120 meters in diameter. And it's just one of several asteroids to come after Passover Seder.
By AARON REICH

A large asteroid the size of over 787 matzah squares is set to pass over Earth on Passover, April 6, according to NASA's asteroid tracker. The asteroid in question has been designated as 2023 FM and was discovered this year, according to the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

However, it is only one of several space rocks set to make their journey across our sky on the day after the Passover Seder. For those wondering, the matzah sizes are calculated using the listed dimensions provided by one of the top matzah makers worldwide, Manischewitz, and are not reflective of shmura matzah.

more.............. https://www.jpost.com/science/article-736325
 
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